


Open the Door

by TatsuKitty



Category: Teen Wolf (TV), teen wolf - Fandom
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Biceps and Babies, Elves, Family Feels, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Trope Reversal, past stiles/malia, post s-4, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-07
Updated: 2015-05-07
Packaged: 2018-03-29 12:40:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3896656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TatsuKitty/pseuds/TatsuKitty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What the hell?” He blinked and jerked his head up to see if anyone was around. “This is some really shitty joke, right?”  The baby was silent, bundled in pale pink blankets in an honest to god woven basket. <br/>	Stiles knelt down and poked at it. <br/>	The baby started wailing, immediately and loudly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Open the Door

Stiles had just settled in with a huge bowl of popcorn and a stack of shitty werewolf movies when the doorbell rang. He frowned, looked down at his pajamas, up at the door, and then at his popcorn before he heaved a sigh and padded over to open it. Anyone coming over at night  should just know better than to expect him to be dressed right now.

He stopped short when he opened to dead air.  Eyes narrowed, he looked side to side before shrugging and going to shut the door again. That’s when he heard a small sound and looked down to find a baby.

“What the hell?” He blinked and jerked his head up to see if anyone was around. “This is some really shitty joke, right?”  The baby was silent, bundled in pale pink blankets in an honest to god woven basket.

Stiles knelt down and poked at it.

The baby started wailing, immediately and loudly.

“Ack! NO baby! Don’t cry, it’s ok! I think! Aw crap!” He gingerly scooped up the basket. The baby kicked in her blankets and waved teeny little hands. Her face scrunched up and turned beet red like some little angry monkey he’d seen on the discovery channel that one time. Stiles backed into the house and set her on the table, reaching out to pet her tummy like most people would approach a pissed off bear with one hand. In his other hand, he dialed Scott.

“Dude you haven’t even been home alone for an hour. I’m sure they are all fine!”

“It’s not that, bro. Someone left a baby!”

“A baby what?”

“A baby baby! It’s like a squalling infant. It’s really pissed off and it’s face is all red!”

“....You poked it, didn’t you?”

“MAYBE! What else was I supposed to do?”

“Not poke it!”  Scott protested over the phone, sounding exasperated.

“Ok baby master! Come here and help me with this!”

“How am I supposed to help? I don’t know anything about babies! Not unless they have four legs and fur!”  He responded. Stiles huffed in a mixture of anxiety and frustration.

“Like I do? Remember when I suggested baby sitting to my dad?”

“Yeah, I also remember that time you had a pet snake.”

“I still maintain that was not my fault!” Stiles protested. The baby progressed to full on screaming. Stiles winced and looked at it. “I don’t even know how to pick it up.”

“Maybe you should call our parents?”

“Dude. No. It’s their first date. We have a fifteen year plan to be actual brothers! I am not screwing that up.” He gingerly shushed the baby and rocked the basket a little. She wriggled and thrashed in her upset, revealing two delicately pointed ears.  “The baby is a magical thing. She’s got pointy ears.”

“I don’t know, then. I’ve kinda got plans with Kira? Do I need to cancel?”

“Nah. I’ll.. call Lydia or something.” He shrugged guiltily.  Kira and Scott were both still a bit frazzled from their first date ending in blood, kidnapping, death, and a really naked Derek Hale.

Derek Hale had siblings? His mind helpfully reminded him. Cora was born when Derek was at least 4 so he probably knew stuff about babies. Maybe? Was that old enough to help?

He shook himself a bit and then wrinkled his nose. Calling Derek was definitely going to wait for the absolute last measure.

With that resolve in mind, he dialed Lydia.

“I am getting a pedicure, Stiles. I told you this. Why are you calling me?” Lydia sounded ten thousand percent done with him. He’d be hurt if he didn’t know this was how they showed affection for one another.

“Some things are more important than your toes!”

“Like what?”

“Someone left a magical baby on my porch!” He flailed a bit and then whined helplessly at the baby. She was slowly calming into these pathetic little hiccuping noises.

“Did they leave a note?”

“I didn’t check? She started crying!”  Stiles protested to hide feeling a bit pathetic. He didn’t even think about a note.

“You panicked.” She surmised and he glares at the phone. “My toes are more important than your inability to handle infants. In case you missed it, I’m not exactly the nurturing motherly type. Call someone with children.”  He could perfectly envision her pursing her lips at him.

“The only people I know with children are dating each other as we speak!”

“Then call someone with younger siblings!” She sounded exasperated now and he flailed a bit more.

“But the only person I know with siblings is Derek!!”  He protested.

“There we go, a solution.” She made a kissing sound and hung up the phone on him.

He whined at his phone and then at the baby. “Alright. So. First I’m going to check for a note. Then I’m going to call his grumpiness.” She blinks at him and sucks on her bottom lip. He was a bit under the impression that babies made more noise, like burbling or cooing but so far that didn’t seem to be true. She was also hysterically tiny.

Her fingers seemed too long but were still only about the size of the tip of his own finger, and her nails were like little grains of rice. He gently stroked her hand and she snatched his finger to clutch it with a surprisingly strong grip.

“Hey. Hi there. You’re a lot cuter when you’re not making the angry monkey screaming face.” He informed her and then felt around for a note. He found a card that simply read ‘Her name is Lorelai.’ “I guess that’s it? Why name you and then give you away?” He made a face and sighed, procrastinating until Lorelai started hiccuping little sobs again.  “Nonono don’t cry! Alright. Calling Derek.”

He felt unreasonably nervous about it. They hadn’t really talked since Derek died and evolved like a pokemon. Stiles still wasn’t sure how he felt about the sick swoop in his stomach, or his reluctance to leave Derek behind, or the stutter his heart liked to do when he looked at his face.

“No.” Derek answered. What was with none of his friends saying a standard Hello?

“Uh. Someone left me a baby? On the porch. She has pointy ears. The note just had her name on it. I don’t know how to do the whole dad thing? Kinda freaking out.”

“...I’m on my way. Did you feed her?”

“With what? Am I supposed to start lactating? I don’t even know how to hold her! She’s ridiculously tiny, man. She looks like I could hold her in one hand, for real.”

“Supernaturally tiny?”

“No, just… tiny human tiny? Like, smaller than any baby I’ve been allowed near. Which is admittedly not a big pool of babies.”

“That’s not surprising.” Derek replied. Stiles was pretty done with everyone he knew now.  “Try picking her up. Support her head so it doesn’t loll back, put her over your heart. Don’t drop her.”

“What, babies don’t bounce?” He mocked in return and then put his phone on speaker, gingerly sliding a hand behind the baby’s head. She really did almost fit in his hands, all curled up, warm and surprisingly soft.  “Ok, supporting the head… good god she’s tiny. This is terrifying. How do people deal with being parents? She’s crazy small. But she’s pretty soft too.” he babbled at the phone.

“People generally don’t get babies suddenly left on their doorstep. I imagine that helps with the terror.” Derek huffed a little and Stiles stilled, staring at the phone. Did he just make Derek laugh? He felt an odd surge of pride and then looked down at Lorelai.  He cradled her up to his chest and slid his other arm up in an awkward little motion from her rump to hold her against him without letting her head rock around.

“I did the thing. I feel stupidly proud of picking up a baby? Hey, lookit that, no more crying. Hi there.” He talked to her, feeling a dumb smile across his face.

“Is your front door unlocked?”

“Yeah, big guy, come on in when you get here.” He replied. The phone shut off as Derek hung up and Stiles just stared at the baby in a mixture of fear and something that he could only categorize as ‘hey that’s a baby’ in his emotions.  She had tiny little toes and he found himself just fascinated by them, running his fingertip down the wrinkly pad of her foot. She had a diaper on, thankfully, but nothing else.  She also had this little stub of an umbilical cord left that looked pretty...fresh. Gross. Ugh.  What was he supposed to do with that?

It hit him about a moment later that this baby was pretty brand spanking new. Possibly freshly spanked new in fact. Why would anyone just leave her on the porch? He would normally assume that it was for the sheriff but a magical baby? That seemed pretty specifically for him.  

His introspection was brought to an end when Derek came in and just stared at him. He looked up and gave him a head nod.

“Hey. So. This is a thing that’s happening.” he jerked his chin towards the baby in his arms. Derek looked a bit like someone had smacked him in the back of the head, holding a bag from the store. Stiles couldn’t get a read on his expression other than ‘wow he doesn’t look even a little grumpy’ as his chest lurched a bit worryingly.

“I can see that.” Derek arched a brow, tapping in to his usual levels of sarcasm.

“She’s got pointy ears. There’s also like this little umbilical stump that’s really fresh. Like farmer’s market fresh.”  Ahh, there was the good old exasperated Derek face.

“Farmers market.” He deadpanned at Stiles. Stiles shrugged.

“Pretty damn fresh, you know.”

“Let me see her.” He set the bag down and held out his broad palms. He was in a dark purple t shirt instead of his typical old man sweaters or old leather always look. It… was surprisingly good on him. Stiles reigned in his straggling focus and looked down at Lorelai in fear.

“Dude, you’re just gonna have to get her because handling a newborn is frankly about on par with handling a kanima for me right now.” Stiles winced a bit because she moved and adjusted the hand on the back of her head so that he didn’t like snap her in half or something.  Derek sighed and crouched down in front of the couch to take her, sliding his hand just under Stiles and cradling her easily up against his bicep before standing back up.

She looked even tinier next to his massive muscles and Stiles stomach did a weird backflip that he had no idea what to do with.

“You make that look really easy and not terrifying.” Stiles complained a little.  

“It gets easier. It’s pretty scary with the smaller ones. She really is small..” Derek frowned, inspecting Lorelai. “She’s probably barely a few hours old.”

“Told you, farmer’s market fresh!” Stiles gesticulated something he hoped approximated that he wasn’t overreacting. It probably did the total opposite but he tried.

“Why didn’t you call your dad?” Derek asked as Lorelai hiccuped again and started nuzzling and making these little “Mehh, mehhh” cries. Derek grabbed the bags and went to the kitchen, clearly expecting Stiles to follow. He did, but that wasn’t the point!

“He’s on his first date with Melissa. My 15 year plan is coming to fruition. Tiny elf babies will not stop the plan, Derek.”

“Tiny elf babies aren’t more important than a date?”

“Clearly not! She’ll still be here when he’s done wooing Melissa!” He scoffed and crossed his arms to lean back against the counter as Derek neatly opened some fresh bottles and a pack of formula one handed. He held out a gallon of distilled water for Stiles to open (which he did) before he filled it.

“The note said nothing?”

“Just that her name is Lorelai.” Stiles shrugged helplessly. He felt like he got punched by the way Derek’s face went tight and wounded at the Laura homonym. “She was in a woven basket. Like an easter egg.”

Derek gave him a flat look that clearly said Stiles had many issues and Derek was judging him for all of them. With his eyebrows.  

“Do you have a small pot? I need to heat the bottle before she starts screaming again.”

“Yeah.” Stiles got it out and set it up on the stove. Derek took over putting the bottle in it and rocking slowly with Lorelai. His face was soft and he patted the baby gently. Stiles’ heart hiccuped in his chest and swooped in his stomach. He immediately distracted himself.

“So… what elves do we know?”

“There is one who owns a bookshop downtown. I don’t think he gave birth recently.” Derek arched a brow.

“She might not even be an elf? She’s just got pointy ears. I haven’t really had a chance to think anything other than HOLY CRAP INFANT yet, bear with me.” Stiles paced a bit, scrubbing a hand through his hair.

“Changeling?” Derek suggested. “Test the bottle.” This was not a suggestion and more an order.

“How do I know if it’s too hot?”

“If it burns you.” The dumbass was silent but still pretty prevalent. Stiles pulled a face at him and then dutifully dribbled some on his wrist.

“It’s like lukewarmish?” He shrugged. Derek took the bottle and started feeding Lorelai with it, arching a brow at him.  “RIGHT. Changeling, no, those take the place of a human baby. There are no human babies here.”

“Did you go to a revel?”

“I think I would remember making a fairy baby, Derek!” Stiles looked exasperated. “I think I would remember making ANY baby. Or even practicing for it!”

“You and Malia dated for months…”

“We did THINGS. Just. Not ALL the things. My dad is home a lot more often then I would like ok!” He protested and flushed. He could feel the splotchy red patches all over his face. Great.  “She also dumped me, which feels really superb, thanks for the reminder.”

“Glad to help.” Derek smirked as he shifted Lorelai to his shoulder and patted on her.

“What are you doing?”

“Burping her. They can’t do it themselves.”  He explained but his voice was still soft with the baby in his arms. His hands looked huge against her back

“Humans suck at this whole evolution thing. How the hell do we not just drop dead like three days after birth?” Stiles marveled. He lurked behind Derek and messed with Lorelai’s tiny fingers.

“Stop that.” Derek narrowed an eye at him over his shoulder. “We need to figure out where she came from.”

“Why?” Stiles frowned.

“So we can give her back.”

“I’m not giving her back to someone that abandoned her!” Stiles shook his head at Derek. He might have also given him the ‘what the actual fuck’ face. It involved a lot of goggling eyes.  

“We don’t know what’s really happening. What if someone just took the baby and left it here after the mother gave birth? It’s also a crime. It needs to be investigated.”

“No one has time for your logic here.” Stiles scoffed and then cracked up when Lorelai belched. “Hell yeah, kiddo!” He praised her.  Derek rolled his eyes in what was probably exasperation but mostly looked fond. Stiles grinned at him because either emotion was good in Stiles’ mind.

“Call Deaton yet?”

“No. He’s just going to be cryptic and tell me it’s a baby. I KNOW it’s a baby. I have eyes. I also know it’s not human. He’ll tell me that too.”

“I wasn’t your absolute last resort?” Derek raised both brows (judgmentally) and looked slightly (sarcastically) impressed.

“Second to last. You’re moving up in life.”  

“I’m so thrilled.” Derek shook his head and then held out Lorelai. Stiles briefly panicked and flailed but that just put his arms in the right spot for the baby to be deposited. “You owe me forty bucks.”

“For WHAT?!”

“Bottles, formula, and diapers. I didn’t realize she didn’t have any clothing.” He frowned a bit and stroked a fingertip down her belly. “She has a blanket?”

“Yeah, in the living room with the basket.”

“Babies can’t regulate their own body heat so she needs to be in a blanket all the time. Even if you feel comfortable.”

“Aye aye.” He sketched a salute and went to get her blanket, grumbling the whole while about owing money and baby clothes. He froze like a deer caught in headlights when his dad came in the house with Melissa laughing behind him.

“Son? What the hell is that?” He frowned and gestured at the baby blanket.

“Uh. I can explain.” He forewarned just as Derek came out of the kitchen.

“Aw hell. Stiles, we talked about condoms! Did Malia bring her here?”

“Dad so much no is happening right now that I don’t even know where to start with the no-ing!”

“She was left on the porch.” Derek cut in. His hero! “She has elf ears and white hair. I don’t think she’s Stiles’.”

“I told you she’s not mine! We had this conversation. There was no baby making with the Stiles!”

“Allegedly.” Derek conceded and smirked. It took Stiles a moment to realize he was being playful before he spluttered a bit.  

“You’re an ass.” Stiles retorted with one arm clutching Lorelai to his chest so he could smack Derek in the face with the baby blanket. Melissa moved over, a sharp line between her brows.

“Her cord needs to be cleaned and sterilized… it looks like it’s tied with sewing thread.” She moved and took the baby easily, then headed for the first aid kit.

“She makes that look really easy.” Stiles blinked after her.”Babies are scary.”

“I need to report this…”  His dad rubbed the back of his head. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“I didn’t want to interrupt your date, Dad. We took care of it. Derek’s like a baby pro! I even held her and she stopped crying!” He felt oddly proud of himself and puffed up a bit. “We can’t report this… she’s not human.”

“Hell...What are we going to do with her?” His dad scrubbed a hand over his face but he did look at least fondly at Stiles.

“...I got this? We got this.” He clapped a hand around Derek’s shoulders.

“I don’t remember signing up for this.” Derek glared at Stiles’ hand until he removed it.  

“Sure you do. You came over and fed the baby. At least give me a crash course in how to take care of infants without death and dismemberment happening.”

“Instilling a serious amount of confidence. I feel totally relaxed now.” His dad sighed and then slumped into the chair with a groan. Melissa came back with the baby curled up to her chest.

“Man, she is tiny. Still has that new baby smell. There wasn’t a note or anything?”

“There was, but it just said her name was Lorelai.” Stiles shrugged and then tried not to freak out when Melissa passed the baby back over. He snuggled her up to his chest where he felt secure with her.  “Hey, kiddo.” He murmured at her. “You’re super chill now that you’re not hungry huh? Bet that ends soon…”  

He paused when he noticed the parents in the room sharing a concerned look.

“It’s alright. I can do this. No big deal, right?” He shifted nervously.  This seemed to put exactly no one at ease.

“...I’ll go grab some clothes and stay the night.” Derek stated and then headed for the door. “I’ll help you find the parents tomorrow, Sheriff?”

“Sounds good, son. Thank you.” His dad relaxed.

Stiles wrinkled his nose and sat down with the baby. He could do it!

Maybe.

 

** * **

So, television, books, and most parts of the internet were lying liars who lied when it came to accurate information about how often babies slept. She DID get to sleep… but she would be so still that Stiles panicked and poked her into angry wailing again.

“Stiles. if you touch that baby again, I’m going to rip your hands off and beat you with them.”

“But what if she stops breathing? She looked dead, Derek. I don’t want today to be dead baby day!”  Stiles wrung his hands together and might have possibly teared up. Derek was shirtless and cradling Lorelai against his bare chest, pacing back and forth with her.

“I am a werewolf. I’ll hear if her heartbeat does anything funny.” Derek sighed and smoothed a hand over the back of her fuzzy white hair.

“But--”

“No. No buts. Sleep. I mean it, Stiles.” Derek’s hair was a mess and he yawned after that. Stiles was almost used to sleep deprivation at this point but he glumly nodded.

“So... you’re going to stay in here with us, right?” He asked. Derek had been on the couch but kept coming upstairs every time she started crying.

“You want me to sleep with you?”  He frowned at Stiles. The wording made Stiles’ heart pick up into over drive.

“Makes more sense than going up and down stairs whenever she cries and-- AND keeps you closer in case her heartbeat does something funky” He shrugged helplessly, deflecting, and then tried not to make grabby hands at the baby when she stopped moving and fell asleep.

“I guess…” Derek looked mildly uncomfortable. Stiles reached for the baby. “FINE. Don’t touch her.” he shifted back and then gently laid her down in a laundry basket turned makeshift baby holder.

“But she’s so still.”

“She’s sleeping. Like we should be.” Derek sighed and then climbed into the bed and covered up. “Sleep.” He ordered. Stiles watched Lorelai and tossed and turned for a little while before Derek grunted. “Stop. Moving.”

“I can’t help it.” Stiles grumbled a bit. He turned to look at Derek instead and then flushed a little before hiding his face against the pillows.   

“Stiles.” It was amazing how much exasperation Derek could put into a single name.  Stiles flushed a bit, remembering Malia’s complaints (and threats).  “Why can’t you help it? Why? She’s going to wake up in two hours.”  Derek sounded almost plaintive now.

“I always sleep in the middle of the bed. With my pillow.” He admitted.

“How did Malia sleep here then?” Derek sighed softly. Stiles flushed a bit, gnawing on his bottom lip.

“Uh. Spooned.” He wanted to immediately fall into a hole in the space time continuum and be lost forever.  He was immediately expecting Derek to scoff at him, possibly mock him, definitely get up and leave the room.  Instead, he manhandled Stiles onto his side and clamped an arm around his waist.

This was new. Definitely new. Stiles stomach flipped and his heart fluttered in his chest painfully for a second. He opened his mouth and then thought the better of it.

Derek was a totally different experience with this. Malia was softer for one. Her forearms definitely weren’t as hairy. No soft breasts pressed against his back. Derek was hard planes and hot muscles. Temperature hot, like a furnace. Stiles debated for a second before squeezing his cold toes against Derek’s sweatpants and hugging his arm a little more up his chest.

Derek seemed to relax all at once. Stiles hadn’t even noticed he was tense until he suddenly wasn’t, warm and molded perfectly against Stiles’ back. His breath huffed out in a minty smelling sigh over Stiles ear and cheek. Stiles immediately mourned the loss of his sanity and any hope of ever sleeping without this again. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this safe.

 

** * **

True to form, Lorelai woke them up after a couple hours making snuffling cries for food. Derek went immediately from asleep to awake and functioning with seemingly no transition while Stiles blinked blearily after him.   

“Wha? Wha’ happen?” He muttered.

“Lorelai is hungry. I got it, sleep.”

“Can’t, too cold.” He muttered and got up with Derek, carefully picking up the baby and snuggling her. “New baby smell is a good smell.” He muttered to himself, rubbing his cheek against her soft one. She turned her face and tried to suck on his chin, which made him laugh. “No food there, just a Stiles.” He patted her bottom gently and checked her diaper. He laid her down with his hands supporting her head, even laying her on a bed made him terrified, and grabbed a diaper to change her. Melissa had given him several alcohol wipes and instructed him to clean her umbilical cord every time she was changed, so he grabbed one and quickly wiped her down before switching to wipes and powder.

Babies needed a lot of stuff, he found.

“Hey, you picked her up.” Derek cocked one corner of his  mouth up at Stiles softly. Stiles fought not to grin at him in return, reading the soft look of pride on his face. “Check the bottle.” He held it out and Stiles did as directed without complaint for once.

“It’s good. Mind if I feed her this time? I haven’t yet.” He quickly snapped her into a diaper and super slowly and carefully scooped her back up to his chest.

“No, go ahead. Make sure she doesn’t suck air out or she’ll get gassy and life will be awful for all of us.” Derek handed the bottle over and crawled back into bed.

Stiles chuckled a bit to himself as she greedily started suckling at the bottle, one little hand scrabbling at his. That wasn’t so cute because her nails were like teeny little razor blades.

“That hurts, you little booger. Those nails are sharp. Don’t start taking after Derek already with the grr and the claws.”

He startled a little bit when Derek let out a sleepy huff of laughter behind him. He grinned at Derek before turning his attention back to the baby.

“Check it when she’s had two ounces.” Derek muttered, snuggling up under the blankets. Stiles really needed to examine why his heart felt like it was fit to bursting at the sight but he was pretty sure he just didn’t want to know at this point.  

Denial was always the safer option.

Stiles nodded and took the bottle away from Lorelai which royally pissed her off. “She had two and wow that’s the return of angry monkey face. Not a good look. I thought babies were supposed to be cute.”  

“I’m pretty sure you’d make the same face if I took your food. Try and burp her before you give her the rest.” Derek ordered.  Stiles gave him the hairy eyeball over his shoulder and then situated Lorelai and gently patted her. “You need to pat harder.”

“I don’t want to just beat on her!”

“Harder!”

“Oh for the love of--There, I beat the child, I’m a monster now.” He muttered, blushing and covering up part of his face with the baby blanket because Derek… just no. He kept patting firmly, wincing because it felt way too hard. Surely he wasn’t supposed to like forcefully pat her like this? His fears were assuaged by her letting a loud belch loose, making him laugh like a toddler.   “Alright, put the scary face away because I have the best thing ever: More food!”  

Lorelai accepted his humble offerings with gusto until the bottle was gone and he got to burp her again. This was less fun because she spewed a little milky vomit with the last burp. “Ugh gross. That’s so rude, Rora. Why would you do this to me?”

“Rora?”

“Too lazy to say her full name, sue me.” Stiles cleaned up the burp cloth and her face before settling her down into the laundry basket turned baby bed.  

“Rhymes with Cora.” Derek muttered a bit, letting Stiles tuck back up against him. “Rhymes with Laura too..”

“Yeah, yeah it does.” Stiles replied softly, tilting to look behind himself at Derek. “...that ok?”

“Yeah. Go to sleep, Stiles.” Derek muttered and huffed against the back of Stiles’ neck.  Stiles just smiled a bit to himself and did.

 

** * **

Stiles woke up first and started crooning to Rora, tickling her tummy. She didn’t look impressed. “Heeey look who survived the night? That’s right, you didn’t die! Mad breathing skills are yours.” He grinned and then stretched. Derek made grumpy noises into the pillows.

“It’s six am…” He glared balefully at the screen of his cell phone.

“Yep, up you go, wolf man.” Stiles grinned and then carefully scooped Rora to his chest. “Heck yeah, mad picking up baby skills developing.”  He preened. His dad took that moment to open the door and stare at the tuft of Derek’s hair where he wrapped up in the blankets in Stiles bed.  He heaved a long suffering sigh and leveled a look at Stiles.

“Really?”

“He helped with the baby.”

“Stiles wouldn’t stop poking it.” Derek whined. He actually whined. Stiles snickered a bit.

“Get up, coffee’s ready. You’re helping me look for the baby’s mother today.”

Derek crawled pathetically out of the bed and slumped after his dad.

“Oh, Stiles. I called Scott. He and the others are coming out to help with the baby.” His dad called over his shoulder. Stiles was caught between indignation and sheer, abject relief.

“Aww man, I gotta put on real pants.” He sighed and shifted Rora to put her on the bed, surrounded by a wall of pillows despite the fact that she couldn’t roll over at all yet so he could put on some pants and a t-shirt that he didn’t wear much anymore. He was pretty sure he’d be covered in more milk puke at least once more today.

 

** * **

His shirt didn’t even survive five minutes after the pack showed up.

Liam eyed Rora like she was a bomb about to go off. Which, while possibly a bit over dramatic, was actually a likely probability given the propensity for puke.

Kira squealed like she was faced with the cutest kitten ever and made grabby hands. Stiles felt an odd surge of protectiveness and handed her over carefully. Kira cooed at her for a moment before Rora squirmed and then was almost dropped. Stiles flailed in her direction but Scott got there first. Stiles practically snatched her back, ever mindful of her head and snuggled her to his chest as she wailed.

“Ok, no one else gets to hold the baby now!” He yelped and made soothing noises. Kira looked like she might cry and nodded a little at him.

“Hey, I caught her! I should get to hold her.” Scott protested. Liam held up both hands, palms out, in a clear no thanks.  

“Lydia can hold her.”

“Oh sweetie. No. That’s. Thank you, no.” She laughed and then sat down and crossed her legs. “She’s much cuter from over there. So, Derek and the Sheriff are looking for her mother?”

“Yeah. I’m not letting her go back to someone that just abandoned her though. That’s unacceptable.” He sat crosslegged on the couch so he could rest Rora in the cradle of his knees. She immediately dropped back to sleep when he stopped moving.

“She’s so cute… I’m sorry I almost dropped her.” Kira sat right next to him to play with Rora’s feet.

“I’m still really surprised because sword? How do you…?”

“If It’s perfectly harmless, I suck. If it’s dangerous, I’m awesome.”  She shrugged a bit helplessly. “Stairs aren’t my friends but I can be a badass kitsune with a sword.”

“I noticed. No baby holding. You can hold your own babies if you have them. Make them magical or something. Werewolf babies probably bounce.”  He grinned in a manner not unlike when he made Jared puke on the bus as he watched Scott and Kira both look at eachother and turn bright red.  

“Have  you heard from Malia in a while?” Liam asked. Lydia sent him a look that could have peeled the paint from a car.  Stiles braced himself for the hurt again, the sting of rejection and feeling a little bitter. Instead, Rora grabbed his finger and he felt… nothing. He was strangely happy, even.

“Nah. She’s probably busy with whatever she’s doing.” he shrugged a little. Lydia looked abjectly proud and then slightly worried when she watched his thumb rub Rora’s tiny knuckles.  She was just so teeny, he couldn’t get over it. She was so small!

“She really is.” Kira grinned and leaned against him to tickle her knees. Stiles blushed. He hadn’t quite realized he’d said that out loud.

“Can we focus on someone that’s not me? The attention is going to make my ego swell up. None of you are prepared for this to happen.”  

They all laughed and Lydia toed off her shoes to show off her new nails. Kira talked about training with her mother for a bit, and Scott enthused over the new kittens that came through at work. About halfway through, Lorelai started squalling.

Two hours later, she was still squalling. Liam had made a daring escape while they checked her diaper for the millionth time. She’d been fed, she’d been rocked, Kira had sang to her, and Lydia had even deigned to hold her for about five minutes before she shook her head and handed her back over to Stiles. Scott had made derpy cross eyed faces until he looked like his eyes were going to fall out of his head.  

“I’m going to lose it. I’m losing it. I’m about to shave my head so I don’t rip out my own hair.”

“You’ve had a baby for ONE DAY stiles. You can’t have a nervous Brittany Breakdown.” Lydia scoffed at him, scrolling through pages on her phone. Kira was practically in tears because the baby was upset.  

“I have to pee. Someone has to take her from me.” Stiles demanded. They all looked at him like he offered them a bomb with a lit fuse. “Scott. Take the baby.”

“I don’t know if tha--”

“Take. The. Baby. Or I will beat you with a stick of mountain ash, so help me. I am not going to the bathroom with a baby on my hip.” Scott visibly deflated and sat down, holding his arms out for her. Stiles shifted her to Scott’s arms and then ran for the bathroom because holy fuck his teeth were floating.

It was seriously tempting to just hide in the bathroom for a while. Maybe pretend he had to take a big dump or something.

In the name of broship with Scott he headed back out in the living room to pick her up. Scott had her face against his shoulder and was patting her a bit, looking upset because she was upset.

“Hey man. I’ll take her back.” Stiles moved over.

“It’s ok. She’s just really upset.”

“I don’t know. She’s not hungry, she doesn’t want to sleep, no poop, no gas.” Stiles shrugged a little. Scott moved to lay her down and look at her.

“Yeah. Maybe she just wants to cry?”

“Seems like something weird to want.” Stiles sat next to Scott. She flailed a tiny fist and screeched in upset before her eyes met Scott’s. His eyes flashed red for a second and Lorelai hushed, eyes flashing purple briefly in return. “...What was that?”

“I.. I don’t know? I just felt like I should for a second.” Scott looked puzzled and stroked down her flank to soothe her when she fussed again.  His phone went off a second later and he answered, looking confused.

“What did you do?” Stiles heard over the phone, Derek sounding concerned.

“How did you know?” Scott murmured in return. He paled a bit as Derek rambled out an explanation. “I.. I did. I flashed my eyes at her. I didn’t know it would do anything. Hers flashed back at mine. I felt a kinda pull to do it?” He sounded hesitant. “Ok. Well. She was screaming but it actually seems to have calmed her down and made her feel better so that can only be a good thing, right?”

“What? What is it?” Stiles took the baby back, snuggling her close and feeling oddly protective and concerned.  Scott made a shh motion at him, listening to Derek through the phone.

“Alright. Thanks… Bye.” He hung up and then looked at Stiles. “I might have accidentally added her to the pack bond? It just felt natural. Derek says it’s an alpha thing, instinctual. Like how he sought out pack members?”

“What does it mean for her?”

“Nothing really, for now. At least nothing new, which is that we are going to keep her safe.” Scott shrugged a bit. “Derek and your Dad can’t find anything yet. No hospital records that look fishy so she might have been a home birth.”

“Do they even do that anymore?” Stiles frowned. “Not going to lie, pregnancy and birth? Stuff is pretty terrifying. I’d want all the doctors.”

“Me too. Moms are hardcore.” Scott agreed heartily.

“So this mom went through a terrifying home birth, then just dropped off the baby after naming her? Why name her if you’re going to give her away? Why even have the baby at all?” Stiles tried to wrap his head around it. There was something niggling at the back of his head like he was getting close to solving the puzzle even though he felt totally flabbergasted by it.

“I have no idea.” Scott shrugged helplessly. “It’s like someone naming all the kittens in a litter they just abandoned-- it doesn’t usually happen.”

Stiles nodded a bit and then sighed when Scott and Kira’s noses wrinkled up.

“Diaper change it is.”

 

** * **

Derek and the Sheriff came home with a pack of plain pink onesies for Lorelai. They both looked a bit frustrated with the dead ends and Stiles grinned evilly as he handed the baby over.

“Your turn. I need to go shower. There was a diaper explosion and all the wipes in the world are not enough to make me feel clean. You’re on baby duty until I feel like a human again.”  Derek rolled his eyes and continued cleaning and setting things up with the baby tucked into the crook of one arm. It made Stiles feel warm and he smiled as his dad went straight for the kitchen and a beer.

The shower was amazing. Stiles might have sat in there until the water ran cold simply to avoid a little extra baby time. He started feeling a bit anxious as he toweled off though and quickly put on some pj bottoms and a t shirt to pad downstairs.

Melissa was over again and holding Lorelai through a feeding.  Stiles shifted his weight a bit before going and sitting right next to her. Melissa narrowed one eye at him.

“Stiles.” She sounded a bit heavy hearted. “You can’t get attached. Don’t do that to yourself.”

“I’m not attached. She’s a little ball of puke and pooped all over my today. Why would I want that to stick around? I’m fine. This is just the best spot to sit.”

“I didn’t just mean the baby.” She said, even quieter. Stiles shook his head hard.

“Definitely not an issue. No issues here!”

He felt like he was lying but it was totally the truth. He was fine.

Everything was fine.

 

** * **

Everything was not fine, he decided. Derek hadn’t dissembled at all before crawling into bed with Stiles and tugging him against his broad, warm chest. His hand was splayed over Stiles belly and his breath was hot and damp on the crook of his neck as he breathed deeply in sleep. Stiles was instead having a crisis, stomach trembling with emotion. He was willing his heart to stay quiet but it wasn’t being very cooperative.

So, Derek was attractive. That was a thing. His body knew that. He didn’t know why it decided in the midst  of cuddling with a baby in the room that it was an appropriate time to pop a boner.  He had the sinking suspicion that it was more about who Derek was and not what he looked like.

It was going on four days with Lorelai now. They were oddly good at this, the pack coming over to help during the days  and both of them falling into a rhythm at night. His dad and Melissa had even gone out on a couple more dates. The fifteen year plan was in full swing!

Derek was really damn good with Lorelai, too. It was killing Stiles a little bit. It was easy to think of Derek as this laconic sass monster with no soul when he was growling and wearing leather. Instead, Derek was surprisingly soft. His whole demeanor and expression soothed when he looked down at the baby resting in his arm. He wore soft sweaters and warm colored t-shirts and henleys. He went to work with his dad!

His dad was friends with Derek Hale. He respected him. His dad’s respect was something that definitely had to be earned. Derek practically blossomed under the attention and responsibility. Stiles saw what he was like without the pressure and panic of being a packless alpha.

His heart stuttered thinking of how things might have been different from the start. If he’d told his dad right away, if he and Scott had helped and protected Derek instead of being mistrustful and scared. Hindsight was a bitch that way.

His horrible, awkward, now half mast boner was effectively murdered by Lorelai making her hungry little ‘meh meh’ cries from her laundry basket bed.

Derek moved on autopilot for the bottles while Stiles gathered her up in what was now an easy habit. Support the head, don’t poke her, pat the butt. He was getting pretty good at this.

It wasn’t comforting. He might be a little attached. He spent his days talking with the pack and playing with her and holding her and she started cooing sometimes now, and she would wake up a little more and track the room with unfocused blue eyes. Melissa said they would probably turn another color as she got older but they might stay blue.

Stiles crooned a bit of some weird lullaby to her, probably horrible and off-key but she seemed to like it. Derek came back and handed over the bottle, crawled back up into bed while Stiles fed her.

Derek’s ability to go from dead sleep to wide awake was limited in that he was incapable of proper human speech for at least ten minutes afterwards unless he was hard pressed.  He was also decidedly not a morning person. Stiles felt groggy for a while but once he was up he was downright peppy. Derek was passably human after two cups of coffee.

Stiles muttered to the baby groggily as she ate, mostly talking about her tiny toes and tiny nose. She watched him and blinked slowly, which made Stiles smile a bit.

“Stiles.” Derek murmured behind him. He turned and looked at him.

“Yeah?”

“She’s....you don’t know if you can keep her.” Derek said quietly, brows narrowing in concern. Stiles felt his chest go cold a bit.

“Well yeah, I mean. It’d be ridiculous. I’m barely 18, what would I do with an infant?”

“Don’t. I know, ok? I know. Just..” Derek pressed his palm to Stiles’ curved spine.

“Can’t help it.” Stiles muttered a bit. It felt final, admitting it out loud. He stroked the bridge of her nose. “Like… it’s not easy, taking care of her. I get puked on a lot, poop, it’s so gross. I just feel antsy when I don’t know what she’s doing or how she is. Is that normal? Is it just because I’m babysitting, essentially? I don’t know. I don’t even know what I’m feeling.”

Derek made a soft noise of agreement as Stiles shifted her to burp her.  His hand rubbed a soothing circle on Stiles’ back before it stilled and Derek snored softly. Rora belched and clumsily wriggled a bit, curled her toes around the side of Stiles’ hand.  He set her gently in the basket again, wiggled it until she soothed, and then laid down again. He faced Derek this time, mind a white noise of too many thoughts and chest oddly tight.

He was so screwed.

 

** * **

Stiles woke up to the sound of his phone instead of a baby crying. That threw him for a moment that his normal completely shifted in less than a week, before he managed to scramble enough brain power together to answer.

“Hello?” he murmured blearily. Derek snuffled against the back of his neck, fighting wakefulness.

“Stiles? Melissa has a young woman in the hospital with a post-natal infection. She looks like she might be Lorelai’s mother.” His dad’s voice was gentle but the words still sunk a lump of ice through Stiles’ chest.

“Derek.” He muttered without thinking. The other man rubbed a soothing hand down Stiles’ arm.

“I heard.” Derek sighed softly behind him.

“Uh. But. Lorelai’s mom?  How do you know?”

“Her name is Clarissa Graham but her mother’s name is Lorelai Graham. We’re still looking into it but we’re going to need you to bring the baby here, ok? Can you do that? If you can’t, I can have Parrish stop by the house.”

“No, no,I can bring her. We’ll be there soon.” Stiles replied automatically and took a steadying breath. “Bye, dad.”

“See you soon, son.” His dad hung up. Stiles sat there with numb fingers for a few moments. Derek slowly got out of bed and got some things together for Lorelai. They hadn’t bought a lot. Dad hadn’t wanted Stiles to get attached.

He took a fortifying breath and changed out his pjs for some regular clothing before scooping Lorelai up to his chest again, making some soothing sounds when she started fussing.

“Are you coming with?”

“Yeah. I can drive.” Derek nodded, face closed off and unreadable as he tugged a shirt over his head and slipped his feet into some shoes. Stiles nodded a bit. He went first, buckling Lorelai up and covering her with the little pink blanket she’d come with. Stiles didn’t think he had ever wanted to do anything less in his whole life. He was torn between absolutely furious and heartbroken.  

They were silent as they drove to the hospital, Stiles gnawing his thumbnail the whole way and Derek’s knuckles white on the wheel.

Dad met them outside, face looking a bit grim.  He clapped Stiles gently on the shoulder and squeezed.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen yet, son. She may be held liable for abandonment but I don’t think we can charge her as an adult. Girl is only about 15.” He sighed and rubbed the back of his head in that familiar way of his. “I don’t even think her parents knew she was pregnant.”

“Seems like a hard thing to miss. Like didn’t she balloon up?”

“Not always the case. Your mother didn’t really show with you until you were about to be born.” Dad shook his head and gave him a wry smile. “We’re going to run some genetics if she doesn’t admit to the abandonment. It may be left to the grandparents decision.”

“So they can just keep her? Just like that?” Derek sounded as pissed as Stiles felt, his face in an exasperated frown.

“Depends on what social services has to say. We’ve got to try and contact the father too. Chances are, he might not know about the baby either.”

“It seems wrong. Just taking her away from her pack like that.”  Derek frowned even harder and held one of her tiny hands between his fingers. Stiles chest hurt like someone kicked him in the solar plexus. For one of the first times in his life, he was totally speechless. Nothing he could think to say felt right.  He stood a little closer to Derek in solidarity and Derek looped an arm around his shoulders, letting out a soft, frustrated sigh.

His dad’s eyes went briefly calculating before he ushered them along the hallway.

 

** * **

Stiles thought he was overprotective until he had to physically try and restrain Derek after the nurse stuck Rora in the bottom of the foot for the genetics test.  Melissa had brought them a tiny baby hat to hide her little ears.

“Derek? I think she wants you.” he smiled a little wryly when Derek’s brows pulled in together and he nodded, taking her and muttering soothingly under his breath.  Stiles siddled off while he was distracted and then ducked into the room where  Lorelai’s supposed mother was laying while the nurse wasn’t looking.

“Stiles?” She asked, looking pale and a bit sick.

“Yeah. You’re Clarissa, right? You left a baby on my porch?” He paced a bit.

“I...I don’t know what you’re talking about?” She paled further and tugged at her fingers.

“They’re doing a test. We’ll be able to see it was you. I’ve just got some questions for you before they find me and kick me out.”

“I don’t--” She stammered

“Why name her and then just drop her on the porch? Why do you care what she was named?” He tossed himself in a chair and leaned forward, lacing his fingers over his knees.  Clarissa was vaguely familiar in that underclassman way. He’d seen her in the halls and now that he was looking he could see Rora in the shape of Clarissa’s nose. Her hair was sandy blond and her eyes were blue, button nose, and freckled cheekbones.

“It’s… it’s a family name..” She admitted with a watery voice. “I didn’t even know I was pregnant. It still seems so crazy. It’s… I was so scared. I had… I went to this party out in the preserve and I thought it was all a dream. There were fairies. Real ones! I’m not crazy, I’m not!”

“In the preserve? Were they small fairies?”

“Yeah. Yeah, they were, and there were these tall people really pretty and pointed ears and I met this boy…” She blushed a bit and then sniffled back some tears. “He was my age, he said, and we hooked up but I didn’t think it was a big deal. I didn’t even get sick or big, you’re supposed to get sick or big aren’t you?”

“Not exactly a human resource for pregnancy, Clarissa.” Stiles made a face.

“I didn’t know until I gave birth. I was in the bathroom at school. I just… I panicked. I knew your dad was the sheriff and you hang out with all the weird stuff. She had pointy ears, what else could I do? They would have hurt her. I don’t.. I’m not a mom. I’m not. I’m not ready, it’s… I can’t even think of her as mine. But that doesn’t mean I wanted her to be a science experiment. The ears…”

Stiles slumped back in the chair, sighing, his anger dissipating.

“I can understand. I panicked a good bit myself, finding a baby on the porch. I’d never been around one before. She’s… she’s a really good baby though.”

“Yeah? You’ll make sure she’s taken care of? My parents… they’re going to be so mad. I really don’t want to be a mom. I don’t think ever. I.. I can tell you the guy’s name? I didn’t want to tell the cops in case they found out about the ears.” She tugged at the blankets.

“That’d be great.” He nodded.

“His name is Gabe. Gabe Campbell.” She bit her lip and her face scrunched up a bit. “I’m so sorry it all happened like this. I want her to have a good life. I just know it’s not with me.”

Stiles didn’t know what to say to that, so he just nodded and patted her knee before heading back out of the room. Melissa caught him on the way out, narrowing her eyes at him. He held both his palms up in surrender before going back over to where Derek was slumped, asleep with Rora on his chest.  

Stiles’ heart hiccuped in his chest. He was so screwed.

 

** * **

The next two days were filled with a shit load of waiting. The pack gathered together for the results to come in. Deaton found the Campbell elves and started letting them know what was going on.

Clarissa wasn’t facing charges since she was underage but she was denied all rights to the child which she agreed to with no small amount of relief.

Stiles was pacing anxiously now as the Campbells were on their way to the Stilinski house.  His dad was sitting in his armchair with a beer, nursing it and still looking a bit disbelieving. “Elves. Going to have elves in my house.”

“You’ve got a pack of werewolves in your house.” Stiles’ shrugged. “Are elves really that much weirder?”

“No one asked for logic here, son.” His dad pointed around the bottle, looking disgruntled. Lydia was sitting cross legged on couch with Kira in front of her on the floor, Scott  talking baby talk to Lorelai, telling her some story about a fish and scales that Stiles wasn’t paying attention to. Parrish was over as well, talking about a case in the corner to a silent, frowning Derek, while Liam tried not to look too awkward squished on the couch in his nice shirt next to Lydia. Stiles could relate; she was intimidating even in her calm.

“Any news from Malia recently?” His dad asked, trying to distract him again.

“She sent a selfie of her and Braeden. She cut her hair short. She’s got a new boyfriend.” He waved a hand, pacing in front of the windows again.

“What about Braeden?” His dad asked leadingly at Derek. Derek arched a brow at him.

“She’s… hunting the desert wolf.” He shrugged a bit. “We don’t really keep in touch.”

“I thought you were a thing? Like an item?”

“Uh…” To a bit of Stiles amusement, Derek’s ears went a bit red. “There were. Uh. It wasn’t. Romantic.” He cleared his throat a bit and shifted in his seat a bit. Stiles peered out the window again.

“Son. If you look out the window one more time, our neighbors are going to think you’re stalking them. Sit. Pacing won’t make it happen any faster.”  His dad ordered. “All the circling is making me dizzy just watching you.”

He sighed and then squished right up next to Scott, gnawing on his thumb again.  As soon as the room settled, the doorbell rang. Stiles practically leapt from his chair but his dad held a quelling hand and answered the door himself.

The Campbells came in, a pale faced young teen with two tall parents. All of them were tow-headed blond and slender, made of long willowy lines.

“Sheriff, Alpha McCall. Thank you for allowing us to meet.” Mr. Campbell inclined his head.  Stiles felt a panicked, trapped urge to grab Rora and run away.

“Please have a seat. Would you like anything to drink?”

“No, thank you.” Mrs. Campbell shook her head and her eyes immediately tracked onto Rora. “Is this her?” She asked, voice small with a bit of awe. Gabe looked panicked and hung back, tugging the bottom of his shirt.

“Yes. Her name is Lorelai. Clarissa named her before she dropped her off.”

“I can’t believe she didn’t even give us the option!” Mrs. Campbell burst out, eyes flashing purple briefly. “I’m so sorry for my temper it’s just… Elf children are always a blessing, much like a born wolf. We would never have left her abandoned!”

“She never told me.” Gabe spoke up, voice quiet and nervous.

“She didn’t know.” Stiles shrugged a bit. He felt disassociated from himself, detached and cold and far away. “She didn’t even know she was pregnant until she gave birth.”

“Would you like to hold her?” Scott asked, sending a wary, stern look at Derek and Stiles both. Stiles’ fingers clutched reflexively but he held himself back.  Gabe shook his head rapidly but his mother nodded and took her gently, cradling her to her chest and smiling down at her.

“Oh, look at what a lovely girl. She’s just perfect.” She sighed softly and looked up, smiling, to her husband. Mr. Campbell smiled in agreement and stroked a gentle hand over her hair. Rora started snuffling unhappily and Stiles was almost up and across the room before Lydia grabbed his arm and clutched it, grounding him.

“We didn’t buy too much for her, in case we found her family.” His dad spoke, gathering her things. “You’re absolutely sure this is what you want?”

“Oh yes. Gabe is young yet but we’re prepared for the responsibility ourselves.” Mr. Campbell reassured him. “We began the paperwork with social services as soon as you contacted us. Everything’s in order. Thank you so much, Sheriff.” He shook his hand warmly.

A short while later, they were gone with all of Rora’s things. THe house was silent before his dad sighed and stood, clapping a hand to Stiles’ shoulder.

“You ok, kiddo?” He asked, voice quiet and concerned.

“Yeah, ‘course.” Stiles shrugged a bit. “Nice and quiet now.” He gestured a bit around the living room.  No one looked fooled in the slightest.

“I can switch my shift. I can stay here tonight.”

“Nah, dad. Go to work, catch the bad guys. I’m good.” He shrugged a bit. Lydia gave him a squeeze before she stood to leave. She looked at him in a way that could probably have been described as cold but Stiles knew it was more calculating, taking stock of him. He waved her off, recieved a small, wry smile in return.  

His dad and the pack trickled out slowly while Stiles retreated to the kitchen, staring at the empty spot where Rora’s bottles had been. He took slow, deep breaths, and tried to acclimate to the empty worry. It shouldn’t have been possible to feel so irrevocably altered after a single week but he did. He felt like he was missing something.

His chest ached, the pain sharpening when he realized he’d be alone tonight. Totally alone. His dad would be at work and without Rora, Derek would have no reason to stay.

Stiles scrubbed at his face, willing himself not to break down into the frustrated, lonely tears he felt brimming at the back of his eyes. He looked up at the sound of a scuffed footstep to see Derek standing in the doorway, brows narrowed and mouth tight in a frown.

“I might have gotten a little attached.” Stiles admitted, finally, aloud. Derek’s mouth pulled and he nodded. His voice was raspy when he spoke.

“Me too.”

“Stay.”  Stiles blurted out before he could stop himself. He grabbed the hem of his shirt and struggled not to squirm when Derek’s pale eyes searched his face.

“Stay?”

“I don’t… I can’t...I need--” Stiles struggled, trying to find the right words to stay. “I don’t want to be alone. I can’t… It can’t all just change. I can’t do it.”

“Ok.” Derek agreed and pressed his palm to the ball of Stiles shoulder. “Are you… do you want to go to bed?” He asked, sounding a bit unsure of himself. Stiles just nodded, walked upstairs on auto-pilot. He brushed his teeth and undressed for bed. Derek followed suit, but it was all oddly quiet. There was no banter, no talking to the baby, no crying or cooing or singing. Stiles pressed his face to his pillows, trying to muffle the sounds of his distress.

The bed dipped as Derek crawled in next to him and tugged. He struggled against him, trying to hide his face and the tears.

“Stiles. Stiles, it’s alright. Just let me.” Derek murmured and tugged him close. Stiles pressed his nose to the curve of Derek’s shoulder and hiccuped, feeling foolish and stupid a heartbroken.  Derek rubbed soothing, warm hands up and down his back, breathing slow and deep while Stiles shook against him. “I know. I know.” he murmured and carded a hand through Stiles’ hair and down his cheek.

Stiles pulled back just enough to look at him, to meet his gaze and his own feelings.  His heart stuttered in his chest, too full of conflicting emotions to parse. He traced his eyes over Derek’s familiar features, his sharp nose and how his mouth was surprisingly soft when he wasn’t frowning.

It felt almost magnetic. He let his eyes fall shut as he pressed in and slotted his mouth to Derek’s, felt him suck a sharp breath in against his cheek. It was soft, a chaste, dry press of lips and the soft scratch of beard against Stiles’ mouth.  

“Stiles, what--?” Derek started but Stiles stopped him with another kiss, still soft, no demand. He kept his hands pressed to Derek’s chest. Derek could move, he could stop but he stayed and let Stiles kiss him. His hands stilled low on Stiles’ back.

“I… I wanted to. For a while.” Stiles admitted. “Please don’t go. I don’t want you to go.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” He murmured and then kissed him back. It felt inevitable in the best way possible. The kiss deepened slowly, Stiles gasped against Derek’s mouth and let him lick inside, sucked gently on his tongue and slid fingers in the hairs at the nape of his neck.

They kissed until Stiles felt dizzy with it, his skin hot and too tight to contain him. Derek pulled back and pressed his thumb just under Stiles’ bottom lip. He nipped a kiss at the pad of his thumb, watched Derek’s eyes darken and his lids go heavy before they met in another kiss.  Derek trailed away, pressing his mouth, hot and wet, to Stiles’ neck.

He arched his head back, clutched at the sheets as Derek’s hands slid under his shirt and all he could think was ‘yes, yes, finally’. They parted to get his shirt off and Derek’s mouth immediately fell to his nipples, wrapping hot and with just the right amount of teeth. Stiles gasped and shuddered, hands burying themselves in Derek’s hair without any real conscious thought of his own.  He couldn’t think enough to speak, sparks of pleasure sinking low in his belly, to his hard cock. He felt himself leak a little as Derek bit soft kissed to his other nipple to tease and tug it.

Derek’s touch seemed to be everywhere all at once, fingers and mouth trailing over him in tingling lines and presses. The soft sound of Derek’s lips parting from his skin as he pulled off Stiles’ chest shot down his spine. He writhed down to kiss him again. His legs opened, cradling Derek’s hips to his own, seeking friction.

“Stiles, god…!” Derek shuddered, his own erection heavy and scorching even through their pants as it slid against Stiles’. “I need… can I--”

“Yes, anything, yes.” Stiles slurred. He felt almost drunk on the sensations, the warm silk slide of Derek’s muscles working in his back under Stiles’ wide open fingers. Derek’s hands slid Stiles’ pants down and cradled his hips. He pressed a kiss to the leaking head of Stiles’ cock, making stiles jolt and keen softly, embarrassingly under him.

“Do you have lube?” Derek asked. Stiles flushed a bit more, nodded and fumbled for the drawer with it. Derek slid his hand along Stiles’ forearm to the drawer and took it from his shaking fingers.  “Let me. I’ll take care of you.” He murmured to the skin of Stiles’ ribs, pressed another kiss there. Stiles nodded and shifted again, tugged his legs up further.

Derek slicked his fingers and stroked just behind Stiles’ balls, pressing against his perineum in a rush of pleasure. Stiles let out a soft, helpless sound before Derek rubbed the pad of his finger over his hole, pressing lightly but evenly.

Good god, that was a different experience. Stiles had definitely gotten curious enough to work on himself, press awkward fingers into him but the angle stretched differently and his forearm got a charlie horse right when he got into a good spot. Derek’s fingers were wider and shorter, he found, as Derek pushed into him.

It was a heady, world bending thought. Derek murmured soft praise, lips dragging low on Stiles belly as he fingered him in long, slow thrusts.  Stiles legs quaked with pleasure and tried to bend up and down seemingly of their own accord. Derek was watching eyes riveted to where he pressed into Stiles. He stretched him further, working more fingers into him. Stiles moaned helplessly and clutched at the sheets.

“Please, please…!” He begged quietly, arched his spine up to press his belly to Derek’s mouth.

“Shh, shh, I’ve got you.” Derek soothed and rubbed his hand up and down Stiles side. Stiles fingers scrambled up his arms, over eager and clumsy, tugged him up towards his mouth to kiss him again. Derek made a soft sound into Stiles mouth and he greedily swallowed it down, clutching him close and sliding his hands down to grope at his ass and push down his pants. He pressed his fingertips to the dimples at the base of his spine, urging him closer.

“Hold on, hold on.” Derek murmured, sitting back enough to kick off his pants fully. Stiles eyes snapped to the flushed jut of his cock as Derek stroked lube over himself, foreskin sliding tantalizingly over the head. Stiles fingers reached out and stroked feather lightly before he could stop himself and Derek let out a soft, punched out groan as he flexed his hips into the touch.

He moved Stiles hand away to line up, pressing against Stiles’ hole. Stiles sucked in a hard breath and froze up, suddenly unsure. Derek’s hands gripped his hips as he pressed slowly in, a tight burning pinch before the head popped past the first ring of muscle. Stiles blinked wide eyed at the ceiling, struggling to process the sensation as Derek slid further into him.

“Oh god, Stiles.” Derek breathed, hunched to press his face to Stiles’ shoulder, hair tucked under the sweaty curve of Stiles’ chin. Stiles felt so full that he struggled to gasp out a breath. “that’s it, doing so good, so perfect…” Derek praised into the shell of his ear and pressed a sloppy kiss to the corner of his jaw and over his cheek.  Stiles relaxed as much as he could and then shifted his hips just a little and  startled at the rush of sensation, the low thrum of pleasure deep in his belly.

Derek started thrusting then, long and slow but picking up to something steady as Stiles let out helpless “Ah--Ah--ah!”s with every press in. He clenched his eyes tight and drew his brows down against the onslaught.  It felt like too much, like Derek was touching everywhere at once and Stiles was heavy and weightless, his skin slick with sweat and still shivering with goosebumps.  The head of his cock pressed against the Derek’s belly with each thrust, sending sparks of added pleasure up his spine.  His hands scrambled before Derek shifted and laced their fingers together, pressing them to the bed and pressing another kiss to Stiles’ mouth. He moaned into it, practically sobbed into his mouth. Derek answered with a moan of his own, his hips picking up speed.

Stiles felt almost afraid as he got close, his stomach tight and cock dribbling precum into his navel with every thrust, leaving sticky, wet smears against Derek’s abs. He shook, unsure of what to do. Derek let one hand go, reached and stroked over him. Stiles whimpered, spasmed under him.

“It’s ok. I’ve got you. Let go, come on.” Derek soothed, hips stuttering in their pace as he reached towards the end. He kept stroking and it was so much, too much, felt so good that it almost burned white hot. Derek made a strangled noise as he came into Stiles and he could feel it, the hot pulse of Derek’s cock and the jerk of Derek’s hips harder into Stiles as his hand stroked faster, thumb flicking just so. Stiles arched up hard, mouth wide open and silent as his orgasm crashed over him, dragged him under pleasure and made his vision go white.

He clung as Derek moved to pull back, wrapped shaking hands around his shoulders and back. Derek pressed feather light kisses over his forehead, on Stiles’ eyelids and cheeks, the tip of his nose and another chaste, soft kiss to his mouth.  They winced at the same time as Derek pulled out, softening. Stiles felt wet and open, exposed, sticky and shaky. It made him cling harder to Derek, shudder against him as he kissed his temple.

“It’s ok, it’s ok.” Derek murmured gently and Stiles turned to kiss the words from his lips and stroke through his sweat damp hair. Derek rolled, pulled them so they were laying on their sides facing each other. They laid there, hands stroking softly and breath mingled until sleep tugged Stiles into darkness.

 

** * **

 

Stiles woke up with an urgently full bladder feeling… well. Flat out gross, really. His stomach was flakey with dried come, his hair dried  into a mess from sweat and rolling around. His muscles were pretty diligently voicing their protests as well. Derek was flat on his back next to Stiles, limbs splayed out and mouth open in sleep. Stiles stared at him for a minute, mind reeling through the last night.   

“Hey.” Derek murmured, cracking an eye open and looking at Stiles through his lashes. He rubbed a hand over the back of Stiles’ neck gently. “OK?”

“Yeah. Gotta pee.” Stiles flushed a bit as he stood. it was different, standing naked in the daylight. He was pale and awkward, knobby kneed and be-freckled next to the smooth muscled perfection of Derek’s body.  He tucked his shoulders in self consciously, felt like they were too wide for his hips, too broad for his waist.

“Hey.” Derek stopped him and reached out, lacing his fingers with Stiles’ quickly. “Don’t do that, ok?”

“Do what?” Stiles deflected, heart skipping as his fingers clutched Derek’s in return.

“You know what.” Derek gave him a half smile, eyes crinkling and looking too damn beautiful. He slid out from the bed and leaned in, pressing his forehead against Stiles’, free hand resting on his waist.  Stiles huffed a little and shook his head slightly.

“Alright. I’ll try not to, big guy. I wasn’t lying, though, I really have to pee.”

“So romantic. It’s like poetry.” Derek scoffed and stepped back, letting Stiles’ fingers drop.

“It’s true, I’m the next casanova.” He shot back over his shoulder as he grabbed some sweatpants and a shirt and ducked into the bathroom.

“Don’t use all the hot water!” Derek called after him.

Stiles couldn’t help but laugh as he let the bathroom fill with steam.

 

** * **

Stiles felt a lot more human post shower. His muscles were still sore but it was manageable. He made coffee and egg sandwiches while Derek took his own shower. He stood in the silence for a few moments when he had automatically gotten out the pan to heat Rora’s morning bottle and sighed, heart heavy.  

He startled a bit when Derek pressed a hand between his shoulder blades. By a little bit, he basically barely missed punching Derek in the nose by sheer quick reflexes on Derek’s part and lack of coordination on his own part.

“Nice stance. Work on the aim a bit though.” Derek critiqued, eyes crinkled enough to let Stiles know he was playing. Stiles snuck a jab in to his stomach, wincing a little bit because rock hard abs on his knuckles. Derek let out a little oomph of breath and laughed, resting his head on Stiles’ shoulder

“I will put a bell on you. Like grumpy cat.” Stiles threatened and then slumped a bit against him. He felt scooped out and a little raw but Derek’s smile was a balm, soothing over him.

“I’ll do my best not to scare you again.” Derek promised, bussing a kiss to his temple and hugging him closer. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m good. I think. Mostly. About the important stuff, I’m good.” He struggled not to let out a panicked giggle.

“Are you?” He asked, sliding hands to his lower back, tugging him close. He sounded serious, which drew Stiles to look at him. His brows were drawn, pale eyes searching Stiles’ face. “We didn’t really talk about anything before we--”

“Do we have to?”

“Yes, we do.” He sighed a bit, stepping back a little and grabbing his cup of coffee, turning it white with cream and sugar. Stiles watched him for a minute.

“I just don’t know how to do this, that’s all. I..” He took a fortifying breath and came up behind Derek to press his face against his shoulders, hands wrapped around his waist. “I’m kind of stupid for you, dude.”

“Stupid for me?” Derek looked over his shoulder at Stiles sceptically but he leaned his weight back into his arms anyway. It felt a bit heady, literally having Derek’s back and his trust.  

“Do I need to make a poem? Write all the things I like about you?” Stiles teased a bit and grinned when Derek snorted. He went a bit serious, felt earnest. It felt important that Derek knew, all of a sudden, through words and not just actions.  “You make me feel safe. I don’t take your shit and you don’t take mine. It just… works. It feels inevitable to me.”

“Inevitable?”

“Like where we need to be.” Stiles shrugged and tried not to feel self conscious.

“You saved me, you know. In a lot of ways.” Derek’s voice was quiet and serious.

“You saved me too.” Stiles admitted and smiled when Derek turned around to press another kiss to Stiles, this time coffee scented but still chaste and soft.  

“Aw hell.” His dad’s voice startled him and Derek both and the coffee almost hit the floor.  “It’s too early for this. Gimme one of those cups.” He took one and leaned his hips against the counter. Derek went pale and still but Stiles felt warmed when he stayed close.

“Uh. So. It’s a thing now?” he looked to Derek who reflexively smiled at him and nodded a bit.

“Is this for the right reasons? That’s what I’m concerned about. Both of you.” His dad took a long drink from his coffee and then pointed at them.

“It is. We just…” He floundered  a bit, looking to Derek.

“Needed a swift kick in the ass. I’m familiar with this method.” The sheriff chuckled a little, worry melting off his face.  “I’m not picking sides if this all goes to hell.” he warned before shuffling towards his bedroom.  Stiles gave a vaguely impressed look after him and then grinned at Derek’s shocked face.

“He just wants someone to vote with him for red meat for dinner.” Stiles patted him.

 

** * **

Everything Stiles enjoyed about Derek magnified about a thousand percent after that. He touched freely now, pressing warm, dry palms over Stiles’ shoulders and back, on his knees, through his hair. It was awesome.  He stuck close to the house still, along with the rest of the pack. Scott had come over the day after they took Lorelai back armed with a bag of donuts and dvds. Derek had actually stayed with them, curling around Stiles on the couch while Scott stared in a bit of confusion.

“Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?” He asked when Derek got up for a bathroom break.

“Depends on what you’re seeing. If it’s me and Derek, yeah, that’s a thing.” He agreed and stuffed a powdered donut in his mouth almost whole.

“A good thing?”

“An awesome thing.” Stiles agreed around his mouthful. Scott made a grossed out face.

“You spit lumpy sugar all over me, bro. Not cool!” He retaliated by wiping his arm off on Stiles shirt.

“After getting puked on at all hours, it doesn’t really bother me anymore.” Stiles shrugged a bit and sighed. “I feel kinda nuts for missing her this bad. She wasn’t really my kid.”

“I still feel like something’s missing.” Scott confessed, looking guilty. “I feel like I’m doing a horrible job at this whole alpha thing. I wish I hadn’t let them take her.”

“My rational mind knows I probably shouldn’t be ready to be a full time dad but… I got pretty attached. Derek with her too…”

“I know, man. He looked really happy.” Scott’s face pinched in on itself, the weight of hard decisions falling heavy for a moment.  He was interrupted by Derek’s return with another two liter of soda and a curious expression.

“I ate your powdered donut. I’m not sorry.” Stiles informed him. Scott made a really satisfying noise of protest when Derek kissed the traces of sugar from him.

“GUYS c’mon, bro code! No make out sessions when we’re sitting so close!”

 

** * **

Stiles was alone for the first time since Lorelai had been found while Derek and his dad wrapped up some cases at work. Namely getting Derek to finally sign the paperwork to be a Deputy. He idly texted Scott, who sent him a kissing selfie with Kira and the caption “REVEEEEENGE” that mostly just made Stiles crack up.

He stretched out on the couch and texted Scott back several laughing emojis before the door bell went off. He frowned at it in distrust before padding to the door and peeking outside it. His worried were far from relieved when he saw that it was Mr. Campbell.

“Mr. Stilinski. Could I come in?” He asked. Stiles mentally calculated several scenarios before sighing and letting him in. He made sure the hall closet holding his bat was slightly opened, just in case he needed to make a dive for it.

“So, what can I do for you?” Stiles asked, wiping his palms over the legs of his khakis.

“Were you aware that elves form a pack?” He asked, looking grave.

“No, can’t say that I was. Or am, really. We don’t know much about elves aside from the ears.” Stiles gestured a bit before realizing that might be a little rude. He took the armchair to sit and bounced his knees a bit.

“It’s formed much the same way a werewolf pack is, with a leader. Not an alpha, our own word for it. We call it a Clan.” Mr. Campbell elaborated, his face drawn.

“I don’t really see what this has to do with me?” Stiles fidgeted, feeling out of sorts. He wracked his brain, trying to come up with any way he might have offended the Clan accidentally.

“You bonded with Lorelai. She’s tied to your alpha but more to you and the beta you are coupling with. She is refusing the bond of kinship with the Clan right now.” Mr. Campbell now looked down right pissed. “We accepted this as an attempt to right the wrongs of the human girl, not as a plot to infiltrate our Clan. Were we wrong in this assumption?”

“I had no idea, I promise.” Stiles protested quickly.

“You had no idea you loved her?” He countered, eyebrows raised sceptically.

“No, I knew that. I...I’ll be honest I feel like I’m missing a limb. It’s kind of freaking me out. I’m not much older than Gabe or Clarissa myself but I got.. pretty attached. I just wanted to do what was right by her. It’s not a plot,  I promise.”

Mr. Campbell looked grudgingly respectful and then frowned in thought for a moment, stroking his hairless chin.

“We have many problems then. We can’t keep an unbonded member in our clan. She’s miserable. She hasn’t stopped crying since we left.”  Stiles fought not to launch up from his seat and demand to be taken to her.  “I thought that might be your reaction. We will need to discuss the custody arrangements in more detail.”

“I… I’ll have to talk to my dad.” He felt a little shell shocked. “I need to talk to Derek and Scott and…”

“Yes, please inform the alpha. Understand that we are not relinquishing her. There may be a day where she will choose but until that day I, and my Clan, intend to be fully involved with her life.” Mr. Campbell’s face was stern again.

“Ok, definitely understood. Let me get ahold of more people and get back to you? Can… I mean. You can bring her by to calm her down?”

“I don’t think that would be wise until we have a firm custody agreement in place.” He shook his head in disagreement. Stiles gnawed his thumb a bit but nodded in understanding. He didn’t want to get his own hopes up before things were finalized either.

 

** * **

Stiles paced back and forth waiting for Derek and his dad to get home. He’d texted them both to update them on the situation and they’d promised to talk when they got home. He gnawed his thumbnail, trying and failing to mentally compose himself.

He startled a good bit when the door finally open and had to restrain himself from tackling Derek with feelings as soon as he stepped in. His dad looked weary, one hand already rubbing the back of his head.

“Stiles… I know that face.” He started. “I… I can’t take in the baby. You’ve got to understand, that’s a precedent I can’t set. Sheriff’s houses are not safe havens.”  Stiles nodded a little and looked to Derek. His face closed off and he refused to meet Stiles gaze.

“I… I was actually thinking Derek could go for the custody.” Stiles hesitated a bit. Derek flinched like he was hit.  “Don’t, ok? It’s a good idea. She loves you.” Stiles moved, pressing a hand to his forearm. Derek flinched away from the touch for the first time since Lorelai had showed up.

“What the hell would make that a good idea, Stiles? Do you remember me running my own pack?”

“I do.  I remember that you gave them a choice, and that you were terrified and scared and still did your best to train them.” Stiles ducked his head to make Derek look him in the face, catching his pale eyes with his own. “It’s not the same anymore. You’ve got an actual building now. There’s nothing after us. You’re not an alpha when there’s a shit ton of danger. Scott and I aren’t being assholes anymore.”

“That’s not the same as being ready to be a parent!”

“I don’t think there is such a thing as being ready!” Stiles flailed towards the door. “I wasn’t ready but I can’t just… I… It’s not going to be as easy for me to get custody, but I’m going to try even if you’re not. She feels like mine. She feels like my kid. I’m sick of pretending she doesn’t. It’s killing me that she’s not here! I keep almost making her a bottle or checking that damn laundry basket…” His voice cracked and he took a steadying breath.

“I do too but... I got everyone killed, Stiles! Boyd died on my hands!”  Derek panicked and looked pale, mouth tight and eyes wide. Dad looked like he wanted to move over but hesitated. Stiles didn’t and launched at him, hugging his head down to his shoulder.

“It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t. You didn’t do that. Life just shit all over you. That doesn’t make it your fault.” Stiles rubbed his hands up and down Derek’s shoulders and over the back of his head. Derek shook a little. “You should see yourself with Rora, Derek. You smile more with like these little eye crinkles that make me feel like I got punched in the gut. You can literally do everything while holding a baby which is pretty amazing.  You’re so patient and calm and so good with her. You would be an amazing dad. You are already. I just don’t want to lose her because we got scared.”

Derek nodded against his shoulder and hugged Stiles’ waist so tight that he could barely breathe. He took several deep breaths that tickled against Stiles’ neck

“Alright. OK. I’ll do it.” He agreed.

“Really? Like I don’t want to pressure you into it or anything bu--”

“Stiles. I want to. I’m terrified, but I love her too. I don’t want to lose her either, especially since we have a second chance.”  He pressed a kiss to the corner of Stiles’ jaw before finally letting him go, just enough to rest his hands on Stiles’ waist. “If I mess it up and we all die, I’m blaming you.”

“I’m ok with that.” Stiles laughed and pressed his forehead against Derek’s.

“Here I was grateful you at least weren’t a teenage father.” Dad drawled. Stiled snickered a bit.

“Papa… I’m keeping my baby.” He informed him solemnly. Derek and the Sheriff both groaned and put their faces in their hands.

 

** * **

The following two years were pretty solidly a blur.  The Clan and the Pack worked together for custody and ended with a shared sort of alliance together. Derek’s loft was redone and the building sold. They bought a new house they picked out together and bought a ton of stuff for their new baby girl to come home.

It wasn’t always easy but so far, Stiles had no regrets for the choice.

Correction. He winced and pulled the lego from the bottom of his foot. He regretted the choice to buy her that new lego set.

“RORA! No legos in the living room!” He called out to the other room.  He heard what suspiciously sounded like her and Derek giggling from their spot at the little toy table where Derek was squished with the toddler, having a very clumsy imaginary tea party.  

“Laughing at my pain, I see how it is. That’s it. Last straw! I’m going to have to eat you now.” She shrieked and got up from the table to run on her chubby little legs, giggling and looking over her shoulder.

“No eat! No!” She protested while presenting him with her belly to pretend to eat and tickle.

“Yep, eating! Nom nom nom nom. Delicious! Oh look a leg!” He pretended to eat her knee and expertly dodged her deadly sharp elbows when she flailed and cracked up harder.

“You’d think I never feed you.” Derek scoffed, stretching out from his spot.

“Speaking of, Dad and Melissa are coming for dinner. Possibly Scott and Kira, depending on how she’s feeling.”

“I’ll go get out another bag of chicken then.” Derek winced and headed to the kitchen. Rora scrambled to follow him, tugging her shirt and shorts back into place.

“I help! Help, Papa!” She called after him. The doorbell went off a minute later and Stiles sighed. If one more neighbor came to invite themselves to one of Derek’s barbecues he was going to put up a huge no trespassing sign.  

His upset vanished when he opened the door to empty air.  He paused and looked down, and nearly jumped out of his skin.

There was a baby in the basket on the porch wrapped in a little blue blanket.

“What the? What? Again? AGAIN?!” He panicked and looked around anybody. He paused when he heard a muffled hoot of laughter and peeked around the porch to find Scott and Kira basically in tears. “You assholes!!!”

“Your face!” She cracked up, kicking her feet in a way a brand new mother probably shouldn’t.

“You’re going to rupture something and I will point and laugh.” He deadpanned and went to scoop up Hiro. “I can’t believe you!”

“It was too good! How often would we get the chance?” Scott laughed and took back his son, snuggling him close while Kira set herself to rights, wiping a stray tear from her eyes.

“I was almost hoping Derek would get the door this time.” She laughed and kissed Scott as they headed into the house.

Later in the evening, sitting with Rora dozing in his lap, his dad and Melissa holding hands while Scott laid on the floor with Hiro on his chest, Stiles mused about how everything turned out.  It wasn’t always easy. A lot of the time, it was actually pretty damn hard.  He and Derek bickered, Rora threw tantrums and got into everything.

But as Derek came and picked Rora up to take her to bed, stealing a quick kiss, Stiles felt like everything was even better than he could have hoped for.

 

 


End file.
